Cookies and Thunderstorms
by melicha
Summary: Do cats like thunderstorms? Do ladybugs like the dark? A Marichat fanfiction in which a thunderstorm takes over Chat Noir's evening and has him being a total scaredy cat. When Marinette wants to find out why he's afraid, secrets are revealed. (Reveal fic)


**This is a belated birthday present to tumblr user wolfish-chan, who is the most wonderful person on this planet! Happy belated birthday G! Here's your Marichat! I do not own Miraculous Ladybug, enjoy!**

Cookies and Thunderstorms

It had been strange. But then again, her life was strange as it is. Marinette wasn't used to having alley cats follow her around and enter her house. Sure, there was the occasional stray little kitten she would find out on the streets of Paris that she would take pity on and feed. But never would she imagine that Chat Noir would go to her balcony each Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night to visit her. It was weird at first, having her civilian self be interacting with her superhero partner. But she found herself at ease, calm and actually having fun with Chat as he talked.

At first she was totally against it. The first time Chat came to her, she threatened him with her sewing scissors. "Don't come again. I don't like cats." Chat was giving her this worried look, as if he didn't want to leave. It made Marinette confused at how he looked. He never looked liked this ever around her alter ego, Ladybug.

"This cat doesn't bite though," he said with a shaky voice, which Marinette found so unlike of him. "I only wanted to talk to you. You see...it gets pretty lonely where I live and I don't have anyone to talk to. I-I can't stand it sometimes..and I get hungry..and I...I just need someone. And I have friends, like other friends, but I-I trust you. I don't know why. I just do."

There was silence. Then Marinette let him in. And then she did it again. And again. And again whenever he came. They made sure to stay quiet, so her parents don't wake up. She couldn't imagine what her mama or papa would say if they found the blonde superhero in her room all alone with her. She would be mortified as they kicked him out of her bedroom, her papa probably threatening to call the police and her mama throwing objects at the poor guy. She almost laughed at the thought.

This Saturday evening was overtaken by hard rainfall. Chat Noir came a few minutes late from his usual time, twelve minutes past eleven, quietly knocking on her window and she let him in. "Good evening Marinette. I actually brought you some cookies for a change. Thought instead of you giving me food, I could feed you."

Marinette chuckled under her breath and closed her window door. "You're soaked. Here lemme get you a towel. Want me to get some milk or tea with those cookies?"

Chat Noir started drying himself with the towel Marinette handed him and he replied, "No, this kitty doesn't need his warm milk tonight, thank you." He shivered as he looked outside the window. The rainwater was tapping hard on Marinette's window pane. "You don't think there's going to be a thunderstorm, right?"

Marinette took a peek out her window and then walked over to her desk. She took her phone and unlocked it. "Let me check the weather app-" Then right on cue, lightning flashed in the sky. Chat Noir's eyes widened as he started shaking. His hands gripped his towel.

"Well, what do we have here?" Marinette asked, smirking a bit. "Seems like the alley cat is afraid of a little thunder and lightning."

He turned red as he threw the towel at Marinette and shook his head. "I-It's not that it's-" Thunder boomed and Chat yelped, hiding under the her bed. He had dropped the bag of cookies on her floor, a few cookies falling out of the bag. Marinette sighed and picked up the cookies, walking to her trash can.

"Chat, you're making a mess in my room! Stop! I just swept my floors this morning too!" She groaned as Chat made a few noises from under her bed. Then, another flash of lightning took the night sky, and the power. It got pitch dark in Marinette's room, only the moonlight keeping her company.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "C-Chat please come out from under there." Marinette could feel her body shaking. Another boom of thunder echoed into the night.

"I-I wanna stay under here. I-"

"Chat, I…..I'm afraid of the dark." Her voice was a tiny squeak in the loud evening. The room was left with a cold atmosphere and one movement could startle both of them. She heard Chat take a breath and some shuffling on her wooden floors.

Then, hands. Gloved hands took her hands. She opened her eyes and was met with Chat's face. His eyes looked concerned and his mouth was in a tight frown. His ears were even pushed back, like a cat who was scared. "I-I don't like thunderstorms. It's okay to not like something Marinette. You don't have to be ashamed. W-Why are you afraid of the dark, if you don't mind me asking?"

Marinette looked down at her floors again, seeing nothing but darkness. She knew Chat Noir had night vision. Lucky cat. "I…." She took a shaky breath. She felt those hands squeeze her own. She was then pulled onto her bed where she was sat down and wrapped with a blanket.

"Cookie?" She heard Chat's voice ask. She giggled quietly and took the cookie, chewing on it thoughtfully. She could hear him smile. It gave her weird butterflies in her stomach.

"I don't like the feeling of being alone Chat Noir." She admitted. "It feels sad and cold in the dark, as if there is nothing. No hope. No ambition. Just nothing but you and the sad darkness. I fear it will take me someday. I have so many secrets and I hide so many things from my family and friends that I fear the darkness will take me away from them. Or worse...take them away from me. The dark is just something I hate. Makes me feel vulnerable." She finished eating her cookie. Marinette tried to not think about how she said all that to Chat Noir. And he was still holding her hand. Awkward.

"I understand." Chat Noir replied with his mouth full. She giggled and shook her head. "Let me tell you a secret D.C. I-I don't like thunderstorms because...someone really important to me left on a thunderstorm day."

"Aww did Chat have a special someone?" Marinette asked, putting her hand on her heart. She then said in a sing songy voice. "Was this before Ladybug? Have you dated before?"

"No, yes, and no," Chat answered. He felt his cheeks warm up as he answered each question. Marinette could be so mischievous and childlike sometimes, it was cute. "I actually have never dated, I know seems impossible because I'm literally the cutest thing in Paris other than Ladybug." He held up the one hand he wasn't using. "But that isn't the point."

"I….My mom was a very wonderful lady. That's how I remember her to be. She had blonde hair and these gorgeous green eyes. They were filled with life. Her smile…her smile could make all your troubles go away."

Chat looked down. He had never told anyone about his mom. Not to Nino or Alya. Not even Ladybug. "The last day I ever spoke to her, we were watching the rain. She told me that she liked the rain and it symbolized a time for change. A change for a seed to become a flower. A change for a river to be filled with water. I never really understood, but I just watched as it rained harder and harder. And then the next day, she was gone. My father didn't know where he went, but his blue eyes went cold that day. Her funeral was planned and it rained hard, thunder and lightning filled the skies. I had never felt more sad in my life. Was this the change she was talking about? Leaving me with a man who rarely tells me he loves me? A guy who takes me around the city never says anything to me? A woman who I see everyday and I wish would treat me like her little brother, but instead treats me coldly and like a ghost?"

Chat felt the tears fall from his eyes and whimpered. "I….I want my mom to come back. And I hate thunderstorms because they remind me of that awful day. The day where my whole life changed for the worst."

Marinette stayed quiet, hearing Chat Noir cry silently. Then, she felt for his face and wiped his cheeks. "Chat...I know this won't change anything. I don't know who you are beneath the leather suit and the ears and the weird belt tail and the mask….but you are a wonderful person. You didn't deserve that in your life and I am so sorry to hear about what happened to your mother. But...I am happy that you remained a kind person who helps people. I don't know where your mother is, but I am sure she would be super proud of who you are. And if your father can't see that, his fault. You are your own person too Chat. Someday, the hard stuff is going to go away, the thunderstorm ends, and out comes a rainbow. Your rainbow is going to come soon silly kitty."

Chat Noir cried harder and hugged Marinette, putting his face into her neck. She stroked his hair and hummed silently. The two stayed like that for a while. "Thank you for that. I-I needed that." Chat whispered.

Marinette nearly shivered, feeling Chat's breath against her neck. She pulled away and nodded. "You're welcome. Now, back to cookie eating? I know you aren't going to let anything happen to me in the dark."  
"Yep. I won't let anything happen to you Marinette." He bit into his cookie and looked at Marinette, sighing. "Can I tell you something and don't be weirded out?"

"No promises but sure."

"You have her smile."

Marinette gave Chat a confused look. "Have who's smile?"

There was a long silence. Then finally, Chat spoke. "My mother's. You have the same smile." Chat chuckled quietly and squeezed Marinette's hand. "Isn't that weird? I've actually said that to two different people. You and Ladybug. She was in my room and saw a picture of my mother and I told her that she had her smile. It was a good little moment."

Marinette's eyes widened. She took her hand out of Chat's grip and stood, her legs nearly shaking. "C-Chat...you just blew your cover. You are such an idiot." Marinette was on the verge of tears. How could this be happening to her!?

It was Chat's turn to give her a confused look. "What do you mean?"

"When you told...Ladybug that….you weren't as Chat Noir…you were in your civilian form…."

Chat's eyes widened as he stood up. "Oh god Marinette don't tell any….wait how did you know?"

The power came on right as he finished his sentence. Marinette and Chat were facing each other, cheeks flushed and eyes wide. Chat's hands were shaking, the cookie bag moving up and down in his hands. Marinette bit her lip and shook her head, nearly ripping out her vocal chords as the words came out of her mouth.

"Because I'm Ladybug and I now know you are Adrien Agreste."

Thunder boomed. Chat Noir dropped his cookie bag. And all the cookies fell out this time.


End file.
